The Coyotes made a trade with the Dallas Stars to acquire exclusive negotiating rights with Goligoski and quickly signed him to a five-year contract.

Alex Goligoski and Shane Doan in 2010. Photo by Getty Images.

Doan, who recently signed a one-year contract to return for a 21st NHL season, met with Goligoski during his visit with the Coyotes before signing and helped convince Goligoski to sign.

“I’m really excited,” Doan said. “I’m a big fan of Goligoski. The whole game is changing to where puck-moving defensemen are so valuable and important, and he’s a puck-moving defenseman that can defend in his own zone and has an unbelievable shot. He’s a guy that I’ve played against and you always end up chasing him and that’s never a good thing. I was really excited when the Coyotes were aggressive and made the move to get his rights and then got him signed.”

Goligoski has notched at least 30 points in each of the past six full seasons, and has missed just two games in the past three seasons.

“We have, I believe, the best defenseman in the NHL with Oliver (Ekman-Larsson),” Doan said. “I’m as biased as anyone because I get to see him all the time, but I wouldn’t trade him for one defenseman in the League. To add someone like Alex to that and to the group that we have coming back … was huge for us. That was exciting.”

McGinn

The Coyotes signed McGinn, who scored 22 goals with Buffalo and Anaheim last season, to a three-year contract as an unrestricted free agent earlier this month. Like Doan, he’s a physical forward who delivers memorable hits.

“He hit me, when he was in Colorado, as hard as I’ve been hit in the last couple years,” Doan said. “You always remember those little things. He’s a big, strong guy that can score. He had 22 goals last year. He’s a guy that’s going to give us some size.”

Arizona signed White to a one-yea deal for his energy and to provide secondary scoring. Doan said he’s heard from defenseman Jarred Tinordi, who played with White with Montreal, that White will be a huge plus.

Doan also said he’s pleased with whom the Coyotes selected in the first round of this year’s NHL Draft. He said he watched the recent Prospect Development Camp scrimmage via live stream on the team’s official web site, and was impressed by Clayton Keller and Jakob Chychrun.

Doan said Keller, whom Arizona drafted seventh overall, has the potential to follow in the footsteps of established NHLers who are also smaller in size.

“His hands and his skillset are pretty special,” Doan said.

Regarding Chychrun, whom the Coyotes drafted 16th overall, Doan said: “I think he’s going to be a stud. He’s a big, powerful defenseman, and in the scrimmage, in the 3-on-3 overtime, he loops the net and he holds onto the puck and holds onto the puck and holds onto the puck. You’re just not supposed to be able to do that when you’re supposed to be big and strong as a defenseman. He’s a guy that I’m excited about.”